From the Farm

Our Food Has A Story To Tell

Farmer Curtis McRae

Why are farmers important?

Curtis: Farmers are stewards of the land and I want the next generation to farm. I have to look after the land, get it in top fighting strength so that my next generation can run an even better farm than I have. Hard work returns good results. The passion is: always learning.

Engineering, Judo & Family

Curtis McRae is a farmer. Being born and raised on the farm you would be surprised to know that he left the farm to pursue an Engineering degree. This degree has proved invaluable when it comes time to determine why a piece of equipment is not working. Everybody always blames the Engineer.

Another passion of Curtis’s is his long term involvement in the sport of judo. In 2017 he is celebrating 33 years of being a judoka. Over his career he has won numerous provincial championships during his 10 year run on the provincial team. Not from a lack of trying Curtis’s best finish at Nationals was 5th. Which happened twice in his career. All this competition lead to him obtaining his Yondan (4th degree black belt) at a young age which is ever so helpful for his students.

Finally Curtis’s home life is made up of his family who are there for every twist and turn. His family consists of his beautiful wife, 3 girls and of course no farmer would be complete without a dog, so he has two.

Stay Connected with Curtis

Watch Curtis’s Story Here:

Farmer Simon Ellis

Q: Do you think the average consumer makes a connection between to what you produce and what’s on their plate?

Simon: This can be a challenge as my crops are not in a ‘ready to eat’ form. With fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs or meats the farm to plate correlation is straightforward. When it comes to flour, bread, pasta, canola oil or tofu the association is often more with the processor than the farmer.

Watch Simon’s Story Here:

Follow Simon on the Farm:

“Crops emerging from the ground are a cause for celebration across the prairies. It is a time when the farmers know they have something growing. This is not a sure thing. In fact it is a small miracle that anything grows at all.” ~Simon Ellis

“It is a common misconception that farmers pour chemicals on their crop. This is not the case, these chemicals are expensive and it is not economical for us to use more than needed. Imagine 67 sugar cubes spread across a football field, with the end zones removed.” ~Simon Ellis

“There is a mutual relationship between farmers and bees. As the bee collects nectar it also pollinates the flower. This helps to produce more food for us, while feeding the bee’s hive. As a side benefit, if this bee belongs to the hive of a beekeeper, then that nectar is eventually turned into honey!” ~Simon Ellis

“Attending learning events is very important. It helps me to learn about how to protect the environment while keeping my farm sustainable for future generations.” ~Simon Ellis

Farmer Doug Chorney

Why do you farm?

Doug: There is something primal about working with fresh dirt. The feeling you get when you are out there is very fulfilling. We’ve been farming sustainably for over 100 years and we are planning for more than another 100 to come. For me it’s about living the great life that you can on a farm with fresh dirt and hard work.